Summer Fun in the Sun

Feel the heat? ..but not got the beat in your feet to get outside and dance?  Summer is supposed to be the time when we go to the beach, get outdoors, have some fun in the sun! ...but, if you're lacking vitality, focus and energy - not good. So do something about it. 

Most people after age 35, and especially past age 45, notice they start to “feel blah”, lack energy,  or have trouble finding the zest for life they once had. Getting out in the sun and having fun with family and friends is important for many reasons:
1-exercise is keeps us slimmer and happier and healthier
2-interaction with others is key.
3-It also allows us to produce Vitamin D3 when skin is exposed to sunshine. 

So to look and feel best, we really should get outside and play.

DHEA is a naturally occurring pro hormone that is a base building block for hormones. DHEA is also a base for sebum (or skin oil), and DHEA has been found to reduce risks of chemical and UV carcinogens for skin cells. Plus, DHEA helps fade “age spots” and keratoses and is made with coconut oil which is good for your health and your skin too.

So rub on some Twist 25 DHEA cream and get out there in the sunshine and feel alive again.  This is a skin cream that’s not just great for your skin in several different ways, it also lets you regain that vitality and zest for life you had in your twenties. DHEA is great for your health and great for your skin too.

So kick the blahs…regain the pep in your step. Have soft well hydrated skin. Enjoy the summer sunshine! Use Twist 25 cream. Make your own hormones naturally.

Sleep Deprived? It may be contributing to belly fat

Written by Erin Chamerlik, Nutrition Educator, MS, MT(ASCP)

Nearly half the U.S. adult population suffers from poor quality sleep at night and one third of all adults are sleeping less than six hours per night. This lack of restful sleep is affecting more than just daily activities.

Sleep drives energy, focus, and sense of well-being and when sleep quality is poor, sixty-seven percent of people also report that their health is poor.

The lack of adequate sleep (about seven to nine hours is needed per night) impacts hormone function and blood sugar metabolism. Hormones drive many aspects of our lives: how we sleep, how we feel, energy levels, mood, drive, muscle tone, and fat.

Shortchange Sleep, Increase Appetite and Cortisol

Even one night of poor sleep results in a cascade of problems the next day.

•   Insulin resistance - impaired ability to use insulin, leading to higher blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance is linked to an increased risk of obesity and diabetes.

•   Increased cravings for sugar

•   Increased appetite

Chronic partial sleep loss may increase the risk of obesity and weight gain.

This web of problems also includes an increase in cortisol levels. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. The four biggest causes of belly fat are eating a poor diet with sugar and processed carbohydrates, stress, lack of adequate restful sleep and lack of physical activity.

Three Keys to Help Increase Energy, Improve Sleep and Reduce Belly Fat

Do you battle unwanted belly fat, have listless libido or regularly experience trouble getting a good night's sleep? 

Would you love to sharpen your mind and increase your energy and vitality?

Balance Hormones

If you are over age 25 it is very likely that with each passing year your levels of DHEA hormone are steadily decreasing at the rate of about 2% per year.   As this hormone declines more and more signs of aging appear.

DHEA is a precursor or base building block from which hormone molecules are made by the body. Recent findings show that higher DHEA levels are associated with deeper REM sleep thus allowing sounder sleep at night. 

People with lower levels of DHEA have more belly fat, sleep poorly, and have a higher risk of getting cancer.  DHEA is a base for estrogen, testosterone, and 50 other hormones.

I began using Twist 25 DHEA cream topically several years ago in my early 50s. At that time I had been having a difficult time sleeping, with many nights lying awake for hours.  Two weeks after beginning Twist 25 I slept straight through the night, and that continued to be the pattern. DHEA had kicked in and things were coming into balance. I was waking up refreshed and my energy increased.

Improve Sleep

As hormones are balanced, consider additional ways to improve the quality of sleep. Be sure that the room you sleep in is completely dark. Remove electronics, get room-darkening blinds, and even cover the light from your smoke detector with black tape. If you cannot achieve total darkness, use a sleep mask.

Avoid screens (tv, computer, tablet, phone) an hour before bed. Turn down the lights and read a book or listen to music.

Avoid alcohol, starchy snacks and heavy meals before bed.

Use aromatherapy. Essential oils increase feelings of relaxation. Lavender oil and cedarwood essential oil are favorite calming oils to use at bedtime. Essential oils can be diffused or applied topically.  Apply a drop of oil to the back of the neck, on forehead or on each wrist.

Supplements can help. Take 400mg of the relaxing mineral, magnesium glycinate, at bedtime (or more if needed). Herbs like passion flower can also be beneficial.

Eat Nutrient Dense Foods

A poor diet is stressful to the body. Eat a REAL Food Diet:

Image courtesy of tiramisustudio at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  

   ▪    Focus on nutrient-dense, natural whole foods (vegetables, fruits, wild  caught fish, free range meats and eggs, seeds and nuts).

   ▪    Increase your intake of healthy saturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids from good sources like fish, avocado, nuts, seeds, Grass-fed butter, unrefined coconut oil, Mac Nut Oil, Avocado Oil, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

   ▪    Include high-fiber foods like vegetables, flax seed, chia seeds, berries, avocado, nuts and other seeds.

   ▪    Avoid nutritional deficiencies by complementing a nutrient-dense eating plan with quality supplementation (Vitamin D3, Probiotics, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Magnesium).

   ▪    Drink plenty of water in between meals, but not during the meal as this dilutes much needed stomach acid.

Simply cutting calories and exercising more will not help reduce belly fat that is related to hormonal imbalance, stress, poor sleep and poor diet. Follow the steps outlined above and you will begin to reclaim your health, energy, vitality and zest for life.

References

(1)     Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Role of sleep and sleep loss inhormonal release and metabolism. Endocr Dev. 2010;17:11-21. doi: 10.1159/000262524. Epub 2009 Nov 24. Review. PubMed PMID: 19955752; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3065172.

(2)     Donga E, van Dijk M, van Dijk JG, Biermasz NR, Lammers GJ, van Kralingen KW, Corssmit EP, Romijn JA. A single night of partial sleepdeprivation induces insulin resistance in multiple metabolic pathways inhealthy subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Jun;95(6):2963-8. doi: 10.1210/jc.2009-2430. Epub 2010 Apr 6. PubMed PMID: 20371664.

(3)     McNeil J, Doucet É, Chaput JP. Inadequate sleep as a contributor to obesity and type2 diabetes. Can J Diabetes. 2013 Apr;37(2):103-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2013.02.060. Epub 2013 Apr 23. PubMed PMID: 24070800.

(4)    Knutson, Kristen L. Impact of sleep and sleep losson glucose homeostasis and appetite regulation. Sleep Med Clin. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2008 Jun 1.
Published in final edited form as: Sleep Med Clin. 2007 Jun; 2(2): 187–197. doi:  10.1016/j.jsmc.2007.03.004  PMCID: PMC2084401. NIHMSID: NIHMS27337

(5)    Friess E, Trachsel L, Guldner J, Schier T, Steiger A, Holsboer F. DHEAadministration increases rapid eye movement sleep and EEG power in the sigmafrequency range. Am J Physiol. 1995 Jan;268(1 Pt 1):E107-13. PubMed PMID: 7840167.

Erin Chamerlik - GetBetter Wellness

Erin Chamerlik is the founder of Get Better Wellness, Inc., a wellness-focused health and nutrition education company located in the Nashville area. Learn how you can reach optimal health through a whole food eating plan that integrates ancient wisdom with an innovative, science-based approach to health and wellness.

Erin extends her message through weekly podcasts, public workshops, social media (Twitter, FaceBook, Pinterest and Instagram) and she blogs at  GetBetterWellness.com

Connect with Erin Chamerlik - Get BetterWellness:

     

Feeling Right again with DHEA

To maintain optimal health and well-being, humans need adequate levels of dehydroepiandrosterone, known as DHEA. DHEA is the most abundant naturally occurring pro-hormone in the human body. DHEA levels gradually increase from birth to about age 25, when we are in our “reproductive prime” as humans. But after age 25, DHEA levels begin to decrease by about 2% per year. As an important prohormone, or building block for hormones, DHEA plays a crucial role in many body functions. Therefore, as levels of DHEA decline people notice they have trouble sleeping, lack energy or focus during the day, gain weight more easily, lose muscle tone, sharpness of mind and muscle tone. Low levels of DHEA are associated with “diseases of aging” such as greater risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression and insomnia to name but a few.
Cortisol Increases while DHEA Decreases as We Get Older
Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. Cortisol is released in response to stressful situations. It is the “fight or flight” hormone released to protect the body with an inflammatory response. The problem with this inflammatory response, is that over time too much cortisol has many detrimental effects on the body. As mentioned above, we gradually make less and less DHEA after age 25. One the otherhand, we gradually make more and more cortisol as we get older. Humans are at their healthiest, feel best and are at lowest risk of disease – cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and cancer, when the DHEA to cortisol is at a ratio of 10:1.
Everything from driving in rush-hour traffic to dealing with an upset friend or co-worker, can cause stress in our lives, and production of more cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels over time can lead to impaired immune response, feeling bloated, lacking energy, weight gain and feeling washed out. Cortisol can also adversely affect cardiovascular health, blood glucose levels, and bone strength. High cortisol levels can lead to the development of Metabolic Syndrome, which has been shown to lead to obesity, high blood pressure, and increases in cholesterol and triglyceride levels. DHEA counterbalances the negative effects of cortisol.
DHEA and Cortisol
DHEA is the only thing in the body that counterbalances the negative effects of cortisol. There is a great article about “Adrenal Exhaustion” written by Dr. Christiane Northrup, MD. The article describes the common high cortisol with low DHEA life scenario so common in the U.S.A. Given the gradual declines in DHEA and the gradual increases in cortisol that occur as we get older and cope with more and more stress, using Twist 25 DHEA cream daily make sense.
You, Cortisol and DHEA Cream
Do you wake up feeling groggy and have difficulty getting going? Do you crave sweet snacks in the middle of the afternoon? Is your thinking foggy? Are you forgetful? Do you get recurrent colds, headaches and feel depressed? At night, though you’re tired, do you have trouble falling asleep? You wonder what happened to your interest in sex? If this description fits you, you probably have a high cortisol level and a low DHEA level. What Dr. Northrup describes in her work as “adrenal exhaustion” So you should try using a pharmaceutical grade bioidentical DHEA cream called Twist 25 every morning and evening for at least a few weeks. It is available without a prescription; and can do great good safely. You feel the benefits.
Visit your doctor and have your cortisol, DHEA and thyroid levels checked. You can test your DHEA levels from home using a home DHEA test. Twist 25 DHEA cream is safe, and has no dangerous side effects. If you’re 35 or up, increasing DHEA is good for health, happiness and looking and feeling your best. So get some Twist 25 DHEA cream today and notice the difference! Make your own hormones.

Get Deeper Sleep and Feel More Rested with DHEA

Have you been feeling tired lately? Not getting enough sleep? Is it hard to get out of bed in the morning, or perhaps you just run out of energy after lunch or by mid-afternoon, and feel yourself nodding off. If so, you’re not alone.
For many people after age 30, getting good deep sleep can get harder and harder. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that “more than one-quarter of the U.S. population reports not getting enough sleep, while nearly 10% experience chronic insomnia,” and insufficient sleep is increasingly being shown to contribute to poor health and greater risk of disease. For many people, this can be averted by maintaining healthy DHEA levels.

DHEA Production
DHEA, short for dehydroepiandrosterone is the most abundant pro-hormone in the body. Humans produce more and more DHEA from birth into adulthood, but levels peak by about age 25. Then DHEA levels decline at a rate of about 2% per year. So, by age 35 people are making about 20% less than they did when they were “in their prime” or at their best. By age 50, men and women alike are only producing half as much of this crucial pro-hormone. DHEA is a carbon chain molecule, not something that can be eaten in foods. In fact, oral DHEA supplements that have been available for many years are eliminated by the liver, so it is best for people to use DHEA as a bioidentical DHEA skin cream that is absorbed and processed in the skin if they wish to benefit from this crucial prohormone.

DHEA and Poor Sleep
Researchers have studied the effects of DHEA on sleep, and the researchers found that people with higher levels of DHEA had deeper REM sleep, while people with lower DHEA levels had less REM sleep. REM sleep is the deep sleep during which we dream, and “recharge the batteries.” The medical research studies demonstrated that DHEA can help people get deeper REM sleep, and thereby feel more rested and energized during the day.
While it’s easy to find inexpensive oral DHEA supplements, they are minimally effective. It is crucial that DHEA be used correctly as a properly made bioidentical DHEA cream that is applied on the skin.
Get the best DHEA supplement made. Twist 25 DHEA cream is bioidentical DHEA cream that is made with coconut oil, Vitamin E and Co-enzyme Q-10. For best results, the cream is rubbed in twice daily onto thin, hairless skin. Twist 25 DHEA cream is tested to be safe and effective.
Try adding a pump or two of Twist 25 cream to your routine every day, and notice the difference: deeper sleep, more energy. Feel refreshed and sharper of mind with Twist 25. Sweet dreams!

Using the Power of DHEA to Lose Weight and Feel Better

There's no question that Twist 25 DHEA cream has people talking. With its benefits to both men and women, many see it as one of the most exciting supplements on the market today. With all of this positive buzz, we're surprised at how limited the talk is when it comes to DHEA and its ability to help people lose weight.

DHEA, as you may know, occurs naturally in the body. Scientists continue to show more and more benefits of this crucial prohormone, and no dangerous effects. DHEA is the most abundant precursor to both male and female hormones. Men and women depend on healthy levels of testosterone and estrogen along with about 50 other hormones to function at their best. But as people get past the age of 35 or so declining hormone levels can start to have unpleasant and noticeable effects. It's no coincidence that from about age 35 to 50 people start to put on extra weight, feel scatter-brained, washed-out and don’t sleep well at night.

Can DHEA Supplements Aid Weight Loss?

According to a study completed at Washington University, DHEA taken on a daily basis led to a significant decrease in abdominal fat among study participants. The study was conducted over a period of three years and was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The scientists involved in the research noted that DHEA supplementation improved lipid levels, reduced body fat and raised insulin sensitivity when compared to the placebo group. To say this is exciting news for those who struggle with the scale would be an understatement.

Furthermore, science has also shown us that instead of using DHEA as an oral supplement, it does much more good when it is used as an absorbable bioidentical cream: what the body makes applied where the body uses it anyway – the skin, the dermis, the largest organ of the body.

Of course, no other DHEA cream on the market has been refined and perfected like Twist 25 cream has. More than 20 years of research and development have gone into making Twist 25 cream the top DHEA available. Just rub in a pump press or two morning and evening each day to give your body the bioidentical DHEA that can help you feel better and look better too.

We already know that the benefits of Twist 25 DHEA cream include improving mood, building muscle and providing energy. Add reduced belly fat to the mix, and you have a remarkable advantage to help you fell your best and look your best. Maintain your health and your looks with DHEA the right way - Twist 25 DHEA cream.

DHEA as a Workout Supplement

As we get older, it can get more and more difficult to want to work out. We’re tired, there’s too much else to do, we’re too out of shape — the excuses never end. The more we make excuses for ourselves, the easier it is to keep making excuses, and before we know it, we haven’t been to the gym or jogged or anything in months.

Well, we’ve noticed something interesting with the people who use Twist 25 DHEA cream. They often have more energy, a greater sense of well-being and are in a better mood. These three changes work together to give them a little more motivation to work out. When they work out, they notice that they recover faster after workouts and don’t feel as sore the next day. They’re also noticing the benefits of working out faster — shapelier muscle tone, more definition, lean muscle tone.

When people are active and exercise during the day they sleep better at night because of the increased activity. Deep sound quality sleep at night leads to more energy the next day — fewer excuses to avoid the gym because you feel more alive and on top of the world. This cycle keeps repeating itself subtly so that the people who take advantage of Twist 25 DHEA cream start to notice bigger improvements from working out. More and better results from exercising makes people more inclined to do it again the next day. The good routine of finding time or desire to exercise every day builds upon itself from positive results. You feel like you’re getting somewhere – making progress.

These changes happen because DHEA works as a pro-hormone, a hormone precursor to testosterone and estrogen and about 50 other hormones. Many of the effects we describe here also happen because DHEA activates the androgen and estrogen receptors and acts to increase nitric-oxide (NO) production and cardiovascular health. DHEA also reduces many of the detrimental effects of cortisol, a hormone created when we’re stressed. Because of this counterbalancing effect DHEA has on the negative effects of cortisol we recover faster after workouts. In addition, medical research shows that DHEA improves insulin sensitivity and reduces both visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat buildup too. In the presence of DHEA cells and tissue are able to build and stay healthy, known as an anabolic effect. In the absence of DHEA, cells and tissue break down more easily, known as a catabolic effect.

If you’re looking for a workout supplement that will make exercising easier and more fruitful, think about using Twist 25 DHEA cream. Simply rub in 1 or 2 pump presses morning and evening every day onto thin hairless skin – applying what the body uses naturally, bioidentical DHEA, absorbed and processed in the skin where most DHEA metabolism happens anyway. It does so much good. Get the Twist 25 advantage. Your body will thank you for it.